THE FINANCIER
tificates well enough, but that he had not been able to
deposit them, and had been compelled to use the check
and the certificates for another purpose. True enough,
he had not thought he was going to fail, though he had
not seen any way out at the time. It was more a matter
of hope than anything else. Would a jury take any stock
in that ? Steger asked himself.
The young banker sat there staring out of the window,
and Steger observed, " It is a bit complicated, isn't it ?"
"Well, I should say so," returned Frank; and he added
to himself : " Jail! Five days in prison!" That would be
a terrific slap, all things considered. Five days in jail
pending the obtaining of a certificate of reasonable doubt,
if one could be obtained! He must avoid this! He got
up and went out to a creditors' meeting with Steger; but
the thought was with him all the time. Jail! The
penitentiary! His commercial reputation would never
survive that.